With the release of Microsoft Robotic Studio 1.0, Scientific American features an article written by Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft. The article explains why is necessary the unification of standards in robotics and how these needs to be applied with the help of PCs.
Imagine being present at the birth of a new industry. It is an industry based on groundbreaking new technologies, wherein a handful of well-established corporations sell highly specialized devices for business use and a fast-growing number of start-up companies produce innovative toys, gadgets for hobbyists and other interesting niche products. But it is also a highly fragmented industry with few common standards or platforms. Projects are complex, progress is slow, and practical applications are relatively rare. In fact, for all the excitement and promise, no one can say with any certainty when--or even if--this industry will achieve critical mass. If it does, though, it may well change the world.
